Visit this website:http://phet.colorado.edu/simulations/sims.php?sim=Circuit_Construction_Kit_DC_Only



Click the green Run Now! Button.



Use the downloaded circuit diagrams:

*Resistor Battery Circuit

*Bulb and Battery Circuit

*Two Bulbs in Series

Circuit

*Two BulbsinParallel

Circuit

1.

Load theResistor Battery Circuit

by clicking the Load button.

Search in the downloads folder or desktop for file “Resistor Battery Circuit”

You may have to select

“All files” under file format to choose file.

a.

Under Visual try clicking both Lifelike and Schematic.

b.

You can turn the movement of electrons on and off by clicking on

Show >> under Advanced and clicking Hide Electrons.

Which way do the electrons flow? _____________________

c.

Draw the schematic for this simple circuit in the box

to the right.

2.

Add meters to your circuit by checking the boxes for Voltmeter and Non-Contact Ammeter under Tools.

a.

Hold down Control (ctrl) and click on the resistor to display its value.

i.

The value of the resistor is: _______________________

b.

Hold down Control (ctrl) and click on the battery to display its value.

i.

The voltage of the battery is: _______________________

ii.

The resistance of the battery is: ____________________

c.

Use the voltmeter to measure the voltage of the battery. Put the red probe on one side and theblack probe on the other. What is the voltage in the circuit? HINT: Should this be the same asthe voltage of the battery?

i.

The voltage across the battery is: __________________

ii.

Do the same thing across the resistor. The voltage across the resistor is: ____________

d.

Use the ammeter to check the current in the circuit by dragging it to a wire. Check the current invarious places in

the circuit.

i.

The current in the circuit is: ________________

3.

Use Ohm’s Law (V=IR) to prove that the simulation works.

a.

Take the voltage of your battery and the resistance of your resistor and calculate current:

Circuit Drawing:

4.

Load theBulb and Battery Circuit. Draw the schematic in the box.

5.

Use the voltmeter to test the voltage

a.

The voltage across the battery is: __________________

b.

The voltage across the light bulb is: ____________

6.

Use the ammeter to test the current in the circuit.

a.

The current in the circuit is: ______________

7.

Use Ohm’s Law to calculate the resistance of the light bulb. How does this compare with the resistorfrom the previous circuit?

8.

Load the Two Bulbsin Series Circuit.

Draw the schematic in the box.

9.

What does it mean for two things to

be connected in series?

10.

What happens if you control+click and remove one of the light bulbs?

11.

Use the voltmeter to check the voltage across different places in the circuit

a.

Voltage across the battery: ___________

b.

Voltage across the first bulb: __________

c.

Voltage across the second bulb: ________

d.

Voltage across both bulbs: ____________

12.

What conclusion can you draw about voltage in a series circuit with two light bulbs?

13.

Use the non-contact ammeter to check the current in the circuit. The current is _______________

14.

Use Ohm’s Law to calculate the resistance of the whole circuit.

a.

What is creating the resistance in the circuit?

15.

Use Ohm’s Law to calculate the resistance of ONE light bulb. (Use the voltage across one bulb)

16.

Complete this sentence:The resistance in a series circuit is the sum/product (choose one) of theresistances of each object in the circuit.

Circuit Drawing:

Circuit Drawing:

17.

Load the Two Bulbsin Parallel Circuit. Draw the schematic in the box.

18.

What does it mean for two things to be connected in parallel?

19.

What happens if you control+click and remove one of the light bulbs?

20.

Use the voltmeter to check the voltage across different places in the circuit

a.

Voltage across the battery: ___________

b.

Voltage across the first bulb: __________

c.

Voltage across the second bulb: ________

21.

What conclusion can you draw about voltage in a parallel with two light bulbs?

22.

Use the non-contact ammeter to check the current in the circuit.

a.

The current going into each light bulb is: _________

b.

The current from the battery is: _______________

c.

Complete this sentence: The current in a parallel circuit is the sum/product (choose one) of thecurrents from each path.

23.

Use Ohm’s Law to calculate the resistance IN EACH PART of the circuit. Show work!

a.

The resistance of the first lightbulb is (use the current from that path): ______________

b.

The resistance of the second light bulb is (use the current from that path): ___________

c.

Can you use Ohm’s law to calculate the resistance of the light bulbs using the current in theWHOLE circuit?

Why or why not? Show work!

24.

What conclusion can you draw about resistance in a parallel circuit with two light bulbs? How is thisdifferent than a series circuit?

25.

Go back and compare the brightness of the two light bulbs in the series and parallel circuits. Why doyou think the bulbs are brighter in one of the circuits? Think about if the voltages, currents orresistances are different between the two circuits.

26.

Overall, what do you think would be the best way to connect two light bulbs